1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a low-calorie cereal and a process for preparing the same.
More particularly, it is concerned with a boiled granular low-calorie cereal with a reduced carbohydrate component and a process for preparing the same.
The cereal of the invention has reduced carbohydrate, particularly saccharide content so that it is useful as low-calorie food for therapy and prevention of obesity as well as therapy of diabetes.
2. Description of Prior Art
In order to limit caloric intake in the therapy and prevention of obesity and the therapy of diabetes, in some cases, there has been applied intake of plain rice gruel or rice gruel with vegetables. The method is based upon reduction of caloric level per unit weight due to swelling of rice grains as a result of absorption of a large amount of water when rice is boiled into gruel. However, as starch which accounts for almost all of the saccharides in rice is converted to .alpha.-starch when rice is boiled into gruel, it becomes more digestible and utilizable in the body thereby reducing the effect of the limited caloric intake.
Furthermore, prior gruels have the disadvantage that turning yellow and disintegration of the grains of rice readily occur.
On the other hand, there has been adopted a reduction of calorie level per unit weight by intake of a filler and thickener such as dietary fibers, alone or in addition to other foods.
In recent years attention has been called to dietary fibers because of their action in improving the metabolism of saccharides and lipids.
The dietary fibers, however, are disadvantageous in that it is difficult to take them alone and an addition of them to other food will deteriorate taste and flavor in many cases due to their unpleasant taste and flavor.